SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Three men who attempted to steal a Massachusetts delivery driver's car found their getaway impeded by the manual transmission, police said.

Springfield police said the driver was stopped to drop off an order around 10:15 p.m. Tuesday when he was approached by three men, one of whom was armed with a knife, the Republican, Springfield, reported Thursday.

Sgt. John Delaney said the robbers took the food intended for the delivery and the driver's car keys.

"The trio jumped into his car and attempted to steal it, but not one of them knew how to drive a stick-shift car," he said.

Delaney said the men argued for a short time before fleeing on foot with the food.

I never really thought of having a manual as an anti-theft device, but I guess these days it is.

My family has a tradition of driving manuals — although my daughter, who drove a manual all through college, has yet to teach her husband to drive a stick. But it’s increasingly a skill confined to gearheads. Of my younger son’s large cohort of friends and associates, only one, who definitely qualifies as a gearhead, besides my son could drive a manual.

4
posted on 01/17/2014 6:14:21 AM PST
by The_Reader_David
(And when they behead your own people in the wars which are to come, then you will know...)

I read recently that a manual transmission is the best anti-theft device you can have. I had my oil changed at a JiffyLube a while back. No one there could drive my vehicle (370Z) in or out of the bay. Had to do it myself, a violation of their safty rules.

I love my manual transmission car and would definitely go for a manual transmission on my next vehicle. My kids however learned to drive with automatic transmissions and it was quite a project to teach my adult son how to drive a stick shift. My daughter just doesn’t have much mechanical sense and I have warned her husband not to even attempt to teach her to drive a stick shift.

I have two biological anti-theft devices for may car. The older one, who’s half pit and half black lab, weighs 85 lb. and the younger one is a 110 lb. Great Dane. Nobody’s tried to break into my Navigator while they’ve been there.

Nowadays if you try to buy a vehicle with a manual, the dealer will only have the stripper/entry level model of the car you want with a manual, if they have one at all. I wanted a model with a manual, and also a ‘premium’ package on it,and they had to order it from the factory since, according to them, “only people looking for the base model will drive a manual”.

Per this search, the only larger trucks I see at all with a manual option are the 2012/13 RAM 2500/3500. They all do, however, come with OnStar, Sirius radio, 7.1 surround sound, miniature cocktail bar, 20 different airbags, butt heater, more electronics than you can shake a stick at, and any other foofoo you could possibly want. Important things, you know.

LOL! This brought up a funny memory. When our son was in 1st grade we let him drive the jeep in 1st gear (on the ranch). 2nd grade he could shift into 2nd gear and 3rd grade into 3rd gear. We were always in the jeep with him and I realize everyone does not have private property on which to do this.

When I was a state copper working in Cook County I was in Chicago in the Greektown resturant area when my partner and I monitored a Chicago Police Dept flash message about a car jacking that had just occured in the area within the last few minutes.

Just moments after we made note of it, we heard cars honking at a late model import that was moving slowly in the left lane, jerking and stopping as other cars swerved around it. Since it matched the description of the suspect vehicle, we made a felony stop, detained three suspects who had two pistols in the car, and notified CPD Tactical officers to meet us at the scene.

These suspects were subsequently identified as the offenders in the car jacking, and the reason for the erratic driving that had captured our attention was the fact that the ringleader couldnt drive the 5 speed manual transmission init very well. one of his accomplices was an 18 wheel truck driver who was entirely capable of driving it, but the boss said that he had always wanted to drive a stick shift and this would be his first chance, so he ordered his buddy to stand down and took the wheel himself.

We wouldnt catch so many of these clowns if so many werent so damn stupid.

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